If
by CaptainGG
Summary: This is a story about Jason who comes back to gotham after being away for 2 and dead for 3. Even without all the rage and stuff, he is still red hood. I changed things around on a whim and did not care for canon timelines. I did whati I wanted. Jaytim. Batfam.
1. chapter 1

———————————————————————- _Ok so this is going to be ongoing. Also don't expect any canonicity in this... I kinda just shuffled around events and changed the whole timeline but whatever._

It was a normal day of exasuation and self hate, but before any of that, Tim had to get his coffee. He, Dick, and Damian were on patrol together last night and decided to get coffee together. So after paying they were waiting for the employee to make their coffee. After a second an employee called out a nostalgic name, " _Jason_ ".

Walking up to the counter was a young man that Tim couldn't get a glance at his face. He had mostly black hair with a clump of white in the front. He had a brown leather jacket on and picked up a green tea. After turning towards the group Dick dropped the cupcake he bought

"Jason?!" Dick practically yelled. Tim snapped to face the man. He looked like a slightly older Jason with greener eyes. The look on his face when he saw Dick was a combination of being scared and ashamed. But before any of them could react the man had ran towards and out the door. Suddenly Dick was chasing him with Tim and Damian in pursuit.

What was going on? Jason had died five years ago. But this man was the spitting image of him. And the reaction to seeing Dick was suspicious.

Then Dick caught up to him and caught him by the collar of the leather jacket, and he fell from the sudden stop.

"J-Jason?! Is that really you?!" Dick practically yelled out.

The man sighed and turned towards them "Yeah, it's me Dick". As soon as Jason said this, Dick burst into tears and hugged him.

Damian looked at the two and asked Dick "who is this man you're hugging?". His glare at Jason looked like he was trying to gain heat vision. Jason looked over at the two of us and was confused as Damian was.

"He was the Robin before me" Tim said holding back a stutter on actually seeing Jason alive again. He remembered the times he watched Jason as the boy wonder, he was in love with Jay at the time. It seemed insanely surreal to see him in a random coffee shop in Gotham.

"I wasn't asking you, Drake" Damian hissed.

"I'll explain how I'm here but who are these guys?" Jason had interrupted the moment Tim was about to chew out Damian.

So Dick after sobbing on Jason for a while finally gained a little composure said "That's Tim who was Robin after you" he pointed at Tim and then led Jason's gaze to Damian. "And that's Bruce's biological son and current Robin, Damian". Dick was still sniffling and asked "How are you here? What happened?!".

After eyeballing the two boys by Dick, Jason said "I'll tell you but let's sit down somewhere". After that they went into a family diner and ordered some breakfast and terrible coffee.

"I've been alive for about 2 years" Dick spit out his coffee. Maybe it was just the awful taste but from the look on his face, he was hurt. "The last thing I remember before coming back was the Joker with his heinous laugh and crowbar" Jason's voice shook with anger, but he tried to calm himself down. "When I came back I was in the coffin and had to claw my way through wood and earth to get out. Later I was in the Lazarus pit with Talia Al Ghul, and then I trained with mystic assassins"

"My mother..." Damian said at the mention of Talia's name.

"Wait Talia's your mom, ugh that means I made out with the same person as Bruce". Jason had a look of disgust on his face.

"Ok so, I have a million questions" Dick started, "Does anyone else know you're alive? Why didn't you come back sooner? Are you okay? God it's just, you're alive." Dick was speaking a mile a minute while Tim just studied Jason's face.

"No, I was avoiding all of you guys. I have my reasons for not coming back sooner. The last, I'm not sure."

Jason. Jason was really there. Alive.

"How old are you?" Tim almost blurted out, instead he asked it calmer.

"Tim right?" After Tim gave a approving nod, Jason continued "I'm around 17 or 18... What day is it?"

"August 1st"

"So I'm 17 until the 16th"

Dick looked strange, his face contorted into a weird emotion. "Oh my god, you're only 17?! You should be..." Dick started to count his fingers and then yells "20!". This makes Jason wince.

Tim was looking at Jason, they were now the same age. The hero Tim looked up to was sitting next to him at a family diner, after he died.


	2. Chapter 2

Out of everyone in Gotham, Jason did not want to run into the batfam. After he came back to life he was in a bad place. He trained with assassins and used guns and killing to distance himself from the bats. He was going to take his revenge on the Bats and on Gotham but before getting there he realized that this wasn't going to change anything. Getting his revenge wouldn't help him, he still needed to get rid of the freaks who were terrorizing people.

He took up the mantle of Red Hood, one he got from his killer, and went to work. He used his guns, his combat skills he learned from both the Bat and the assassins, and his wit to take down some rapists, killers, and corrupt organizations. Red Hood is a name well known to those who commit crime, but pretty much an urban legend to everyone else.

He didn't want to go back to Gotham when he got heard about a lowlife rapist, but the horrendous thing he did to those women, he had to go.

When he met up with Dick and the other two, he had been in Gotham for about a week. He had just finished his job and was about to leave. Then he had the idea to get some coffee for the road, so he walked to the coffee place near his motel.

He never expected to turn around to see Dick and two other kids, that startled him.

After Dick basically tackled him, he realized there was no point in struggling much longer. So he told Dick and the two apparently named Tim and Damian, how he came back. He did leave out the part about being the Red Hood.

Then Dick came up with a "perfect" idea. "You're--c-coming… w-with us-s" he was still sobbing, but could Jason blame him, he did just find out his brother was still alive.

"Where?" Jason asked. He, of course, knew the answer to that.

"Bruce's, Jay, you should at least let them know you're alive" he finally was wiping the tears off his face.

Jason thought about it for a while, he did want to see Alfred and he could finally put all his anger behind him. But…. he wasn't sure if he could go there. Even before he died, he and Bruce had very different ideals. Maybe it was because he felt bad for Dick, or he did it for himself, but he decided that he would go


	3. Chapter 3

Holding his bike while they walked in silence, Jason really wanted to just leave. It wasn't really silent because the short kid kept on trying to pick a fight. Dick was busy pinching himself to make sure he was awake. The little brat, Damian, was trying to terrorize the other kid. Jason could practically feel the other kid's stare. After more silence the kid named Tim spoke.

"What do you have in your jacket?" Tim pointed at the tiniest bulge under Jason's left arm. Jason was trying to hide his gun, he knew that all of these kids were probably vigilantes. However they were with Bruce.

"Nothing, just something I like to keep close." Jason said calmly, he barely even turned his head.

Maybe it was how calm he was, or the fact that he was a "former" vigilante, this answer didn't bring any questions. They probably just assumed it was a taser or something.

After noticing the bulge under Jason's arm, he could finally ask a question to break the silence. Jason just answered vaguely but Tim was pretty sure it was some code for: he didn't want to talk about that. So Tim sought after a different conversation, but all he could think about was vigilante stuff and Bruce.

Jason seemed to be hiding something, Tim wasn't sure what it was but just looking at him, he looked a little pissed. Despite his look, he was trying to hide his anger. Jason was trying to leave, he probably was avoiding the whole batfamily.

"What are you doing in Gotham?" Dick finally asked, he had a few red marks on his arm from pinching it.

Tim looked at Jason for a response, he eyes were locked on Jason's features. How would he answer? Would he lie? Just what is he doing here?

Jason sighed, what could he think of as an excuse. 'Oh I just killed some scumbag rapist and really didn't want to run into you', but Jason decided this was probably not the best thing to say. Instead he came up with some bullshit answer.

"A little homesick, nothing like the sweet smell of smoke and frequent crime. Ahh Home." Jason said sarcastically. This gave him a look from Damian and Tim didn't know how to act.

Dick just laughed and put his arm around Jason "so you wanted to see the streets, but not me or Bruce."

Jason didn't know if he sounded hurt or not, but all of a sudden they were at the gates of Wayne Manor. Tim opened the gate with a password, a key, and a whole bunch of shit. Bruce's security is insane.

The door to the manor is a bit away from the gate, easy enough to get there but still quite a walk.

Jason wasn't ready to see Bruce, he keeps up a bit of an act but he still is angry. Once he leaves he never wanted to be in Gotham again. His memories of Gotham weren't exactly sweet

He would see Alfred, maybe punch Bruce and leave. Then Dick opened the door to the manor.


	4. Alfred

No one was at the door when it was opened. The empty rooms and hallways were almost the exactly the same as the last time Jason had seen them. Seeing the manor on the inside sent a chill down his spine. The place he had lived, it seemed like forever ago.

"Alfred, we have a guest" Dick called to the kitchen. Hearing those words, Jason wanted to run. Alfred, just like the rest, thought him dead. Well he was dead.

"Shall I prepare a room Master Dick?" Alfred said back. His footsteps echoed through the hallway. Once he was able to see Alfred, Jason was worried and anxious and disappointed in himself. He gathered up himself and looked Alfred in the eye.

"No, I'm not staying that long". Alfred was carrying a plate of tea and scones but once he looked at Jason's face the silver platter fell to the ground. The tea cups broke and the tea spilled everywhere. Crumbling scones littered the rug.

Usually Alfred maintained a stoic, calm, almost robotic manor. But right now you could see every emotion on his face. Well toned down a lot because it's Alfred. "Dear lord... Master Jason?.."

Jason looked at Alfred and smiled an old smile he had. It was the slanted smile that any street kid had. "Hey Alfred". Jason reached in for a hug, he now was about as tall as Alfred, maybe a little taller. Things have changed.

After a long embrace Jason stepped back. "Well it's time to leave" he said looking at the door, ready to move his feet.

"No, Jay, you've got to see Bruce" Dick said while walking in front of the door. "Come on, why are you so opposed to seeing him again?"

Tim thought of why Jason wouldn't want to see Bruce. He did die waiting for Bruce to show up, but that doesn't seem like that's it. Maybe a grudge, maybe it's more him than Bruce. Tim wasn't sure, but he didn't want Jason to just disappear.

"I'll go give Master Bruce a call" Alfred said and walked out of the room. He stole another glance at Jason. Tim didn't blame him he had been staring knives at Jason, he wanted to see that face, that smile, again.

Dick directed a reluctant Jason to the library. "Come on, just do it" Dick was trying to soften Jason up, "Why don't you talk more to these two". Dick moved his eyes to Tim and Damian.

Thank god for Dick, never say that out loud. Tim was thankful that he was given a chance to actually talk to Jason. Walking to the library and sitting down, tons of questions entered Tim's mind. Alfred came into the room with a new platter of scones and tea, now with one more tea cup.

"I only told him he had an important guest, I believe you should be the one to tell him, Master Jason".


	5. 5

Jason was sitting in the library across from Tim and Damian with Dick at his side. They had been in the library for a couple of hours asking Jason questions once the silence was unbearable. They usually got one word answers or just grunts. It was hard to talk to someone who had been dead, trying to not talk about sensitive subjects.

"So why do all you look dead?" Jason says to the three boys around him.

"Drake usually looks like this."

"Shut up." Tim punches Damian in the arm and it looks like the kid is going to kill him before Dick stands up.

"We've had to patrol all night for a month" Dick answers. "Some criminals are being really paranoid recently and are dropping like flies, Bruce wants us to find out why".

Jason knew why, it was him. The Red Hood was a new vigilante, at least that's what criminals thought, and he was also Jason. Killing criminals, Bruce would be angry with him, it almost made Jason laugh thinking about it. His guns were still strapped to him, and explosives that Jason made sure wouldn't go off until he wanted them to. It was extremely dangerous to have as many weapons on a person, as Jason does on a normal day.

Though almost everyone in Gotham carries around a taser, or mace, or both. However the most effective way to avoid crime in Gotham was to just move out.

Jason was tired and subconsciously pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. Before he was able to light it Alfred called from the kitchen "There is still no smoking in this house".

At first Jason wondered how he knew, but then he remembered it was Alfred. "Fine."

Tim was about to ask Jason something but a noise turned all of their attention to the front of the manor.

Then Jason heard the sound of a door opening and Alfred greeting the person he would rather avoid. "Welcome home Master Bruce".

A low gravelly voice said back to Alfred "Thanks Alfred. Now who is this _special guest_."

"He's in the library with the rest of the boys".

Jason wasn't ready.

He heard Bruce's footsteps getting louder and louder and louder.

Then Bruce was there in the library, Jason's back was to the hall he came through.

"Hello boys." Bruce first greeted the three brothers in the library. "Now if you'd like to turn around and introduce yourself, that would be appreciated".

Jason knew Bruce was talking to him. He gathered up the courage to not punch him in the face and turned around.

"Bruce".


	6. 6

Bruce stood in silence for a while but broke the silence with a single word "Jason?..."

Jason sighed and walked towards the door. "Yeah it's me... Welp I've got to go.". He started to walk out, but Dick grabbed his arm.

"Jay come on" he shoved Bruce and Jason into a hug. Jason then _accidentally punched Bruce in the face. It was an accident, really, but once his hand hit Dick stepped back in shock._

"I didn't believe it." Bruce wasn't even fazed by the punch.

"What? B are you okay?" Dick who was freaked out that Jason punched Bruce took a minute to process what he just said. "Wait... _Didn't?"_

Bruce almost looked like he was tearing up. "I heard from one of the assassins that Talia threw someone who looked like you into the Lazarus pit, I thought they were lying."

Jason, looking at Bruce, was starting to feel bad for avoiding the bat family. He knew that Bruce would be mad at him for using guns and killing criminals, so maybe it was for the best that they don't see each other again.

It was a lot of tears and hugs but he eventually left. One of the kids offered to take him back to his hotel. It was ok by Jason since he planned to never see any of them again.

Tim walked on his right, the side near the road. Cars were rushing by and the kid could hardly hould his excitement. "So, uh...you were Robin after me...huh?" Jason was trying to talk but the kid seemed to know everything about him and he knew nothing about the kid.

"Yeah, I figured out Batman's secret identity back when Dick was Robin. The when you... died, Bruce was in a bad place and I became Robin." Tim spoke softly. Jason guessed he was fond of Bruce.

Jason laughed "Yeah, I was just caught trying to steal the tires off the Batmobile, then all of a sudden I'm the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't met Bruce."

"I'd probably be in high school, and getting prepared to run a company". Tim smiled a soft smile at Jason.

"I might of become criminal , a priest, or just died."

Tim eyed him "A priest?".

"Shut up."

They both laughed, it was nice. Until a sudden down pour of rain caught them by surprise. The motel was close so they both ran there.

"Sorry, do you mind if I wait out the rain here, my apartment is across the city".

"You don't live at the manor? I thought you were like 15. It's pretty dangerous to live alone in Gotham."

"No, I'm 17. And says the guy who probably lives in motels". Jason had opened the door to his motel showing a bed with washed out green covers, a desk that could give you splinters just by looking at it, and a night stand with a phone charger tangled to it.

"That cuts deep kid"


	7. Short chapter

Tim fell asleep somewhere in the apartment. He wasn't sure where, but he didn't think it was the bed where he woke up. He rolled out of the bed to see the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was 5 am and Jason was nowhere to be seen.

Tim likes to check his surroundings being a vigilante always ready to fight. He started searching the apartment, it didn't take long to find the weapons hidden everywhere. It startled Tim to see guns and knives were hidden in every nook and cranny. Jason was still a vigilante, otherwise he wouldn't have this many weapons.

Before Tim could assess the situation more the door opened with force and a person with a red mask fell to the ground in the doorway.

Jason went out to search for crime during the night. Gotham had so much crime that he found it right away. Sure it wasn't his city but getting rid of scum anywhere was important.

Jason stumbled upon a drug deal. He recognized the drug they were selling right away, it was an opiodlike substance that if over used could cause massive organ failure. The drug was new on the block and very hard to trace. The packaging and candylike look of the drug caused kids to see accidentally take it and overdose. It was sold much cheaper than other drugs.

Taking out the drug dealer was easy but Jason didn't know he had a friend nearby. He felt the pain in his stomach before he knew what happened. He saw the guy in the window with the gun and shot him.

He walked back to his motel forgetting there was a bat there and unlocked the door. He accidentally was getting blood everywhere. He opened the door but before he could see the kid going through his stuff he fell to the ground.

Tim was still shocked but he took off the helmet-mask-thing off of the guy not surprised to see Jason under it. "Oh shit you're here" Jason said.


End file.
